Ladder



Aug. 17, 1937. J, KUTSCHElD f 2,090,331

LADDER Filed May 4, 1936 Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATS 11 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in ladders and has particularreference to sheet metal ladders of the type commonly known as stepladders.

An object of the invention is to construct a ladder entirely of stampedsheet metal members embodying novel structural formations andassociation of parts.

Another object is to provide a ladder of sheet metal construction withstrong rigid side rails.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal ladder withsteps rigidly constructed and novelly fitted and secured to the siderails.

Another object is to provide improved hingedly mounted brace legs andnovel means for securing said legs to the ladder proper.

Another object is to construct a sheet metal step ladder with aremovable top step.

Another object is to construct a ladder entirely of sheet metal therebymaking the legs, rails and steps strong and durable, as well asminimizing the cost of manufacture and rendering the same capable ofeasy handling and folding.

The foregoing and such other objects of the invention as will appearhereinafter as the description proceeds, will be more readily understoodfrom a perusal of the following specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved ladder.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through a step, taken on line 22 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through one side rail taken online 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 ofFig. 1 showing one step removed.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified structure.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 8-8 ofFig. '7.

As shown in Figs. 1 through 6 of the drawing, the improved ladderembodies two spaced apart side rails l0, formed of sheet metal, havingan intermediate portion II and longitudinal side flanges l2. Spacedapart longitudinally extending substantially V-shaped re-enforcing ribsl3 are formed in the intermediate portion II. The ribs 113 extend in thesame direction as the flanged sides l2 and said flanges preferably havetheir marginal edge portions M folded inwardly at an angle to furtherincrease the rigidity of said side rails.

A plurality of steps iii are provided, each of which is formed of sheetmetal having a central longitudinal downwardly directed re-enforcingbead l6 and downwardly extending longitudinal side flanges ii. Theflanges ll may be folded over inwardly upon themselves, as at Is, tofurther increase the rigidity of the steps.

To facilitate rigid and permanent mounting of the steps in the siderails Ill, the side rails have a plurality of slots l9 and 2| arrangedin pairs, as shown, for receiving portions of the steps IS in a mannerbest shown in Fig. 3. Each flange ll of the steps l5 extends beyond theends of the step portion forming lips 22 which extend through therespective slots 2! when the steps are in place and are bent overagainst the outside face of the rail it? with the free edge of the lips22 terminating within the V-shaped rib l3 of said side rail.

The marginal edge portions of each step, between the flanges I l andcentral rib l6 fit into the respective slots- IQ of the side rail andsaid edges are slit and bent over, as at 20, whereby the steps arerigidly supported by the ribs I3 which abut both the top and bottomfaces of the step portions. If desired, the angular flange portions !4,on flanges l2, may be cut away, as at 23, so that said flange portionsmay extend inwardly to overlie and embrace the marginal flanges ll ofthe steps thereby further increasing the rigidity of the steps which mayor may not be additionally re-enforced by straps 24 securedtherebeneath.

The open bottom end of each side rail l0 preferably is closed bysecuring therein a substantially U-shaped piece of sheet metal 25 andthe upper end of each rail is left open to receive, telescopically,fragmentary rail portions 26 depending from the under side of a top stepplate 21. This top step plate 21 preferably has a downwardly extendingflange 28 on each edge so that when the top step is in place itadequately protects the user of the ladder from possible injury uponcontacting the top edges of a bracket 29 rigidly mounted adjacent theupper end of each side rail l 9.

The brackets, 29, best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, each consist of anelongated strip of sheet metal formed to conform substantially to thecross-section of the side rails and extend rearwardly therefrom toprovide a channel or bearing bracket adapted to receive therein a pin 3!for securing,

between. the two walls of each bracket, the upper end of one leg 32.Each leg 32 also is substantially U-shaped in cross section and themarginal edge 33 of each of its side flanges is bent inwardly preferablyangularly to snugly embrace the ends of suitable cross braces 34 wherebysaid cross braces 34 may be rigidly secured to the respective legs bywelding. A substantially U- shaped plate 25a closes the open bottom endor" each leg 32. If desired, a pivotally mounted shelf 35 may be mountedadjacent the upper end of the legs 32, having forwardly extending rails35 which, when the shelf is in its horizontal position, engage beneathone of the steps l5 for retaining said shelf horizontal.

It is apparent that by making the top step removable the ladder may,upon removal of said step, conveniently be used as a scaffold supportwhereby the scafiolding may rest upon the upper step I5 between siderails is, thus providing an unobstructed scaffold.

The fragmentary illustration of a side rail um and step [5a, shown inFigs. '7 and 8 illustrates a modified form of construction wherein theribs 13a of each side rail are detented at 3'! to re ceive the notchedmarginal edge of steps l5a in the same manner as. said edge is receivedby the slot IS in the structure previously described. This constructionmaterially increases the rigidity of the side rails inasmuch as the ribs13 are unbroken.

Although exemplaryforms of the invention have been described in detailin the foregoing specification and particularly illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, it is to be understood that it is desirous not tolimit the invention to the precise structures shown and described, butto embody such variations and modifications in detail as will fallwithin the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A ladder constructed of sheet metal comprising in combination, siderails, said side rails being channel shaped in cross-section, spacedapart longitudinal ribs formed in each of said rails, said ribsprojecting into the channel and each having a plurality of longitudinaland lateral slots, the slots being arranged in pairs and spaced apartlongitudinally in groups, steps each constructed of sheet metal, acentral reinforcing rib and side flanges formed on each step, and lipson the ends of said sisde flanges adapted to extend respectively onethrough each longitudinal slot and be bent-over into one of saidlongitudinal ribs, the marginal end portion of each step fltting intothe associated lateral slots in said ribs.

2. A ladder constructed of sheet metal comprising in combination, siderails, said side rails being channel shaped in cross-section, parallelspaced apart longitudinal ribs formed in each of said rails, said ribsprojecting into the channel and each having a plurality of longitudinaland lateral slots therein, said slots being spaced apart longitudinallyin groups, steps each constructed of sheet metal and provided with acentral rein- ,forcing rib and side flanges, and lips on the ends ofsaid side flanges adapted to extend through the respective longitudinalslots in said side rails and be bent over into the longitudinal ribs,the marginal end portion of each stepfitting into the respective lateralslots in said ribs.

3. A ladder constructed of sheet metal comprising in combination, a pairof side rails, said side rails being channel-shaped in cross-section,spaced apart longitudinal ribs formed in each of said rails, each ribprojecting into the channel and having a plurality of longitudinallyspaced apart lateral slots arranged in laterally aligned pairs, steps,each constructed of sheet metal and formed with side flanges, and lipson the ends of said side flanges adapted to extend through longitudinalslots in said side rails outwardly of the longitudinal ribs and be bentover into said ribs, the marginal end portions of each step fittingsnugly into the respective aligned slots in said ribs.

4. A ladder constructed of sheet metal comprising, in combination, apair of side rails, flanges forming the side walls of each side rail,the flanges on the opposed rails being disposed towards each other, atleast one longitudinal rib in each side rail projecting therefrom in thesame direction as said flanges, steps extending between said side rails,interlocking means on the ends of said steps and in said rails to securesaid steps to said rails, said flanges and rib being cut out to receiveand support the end portions of said steps.

5. A ladder constructed of sheet metal comprising, in combination, apair of side rails, said rails being substantially U-shaped in cross-seation and having an intermediate portion and side flanges, the flanges onthe opposed rails being disposed towards each other, longitudinal ribsin each intermediate'portion projecting there-.;

from in the same direction as said flanges, steps extending between andconnected at their ends to said side rails, said ribs being cut out toreceive portions of said steps and provide supporting means therefore.

6. A ladder constructed of sheet metal comprising, in combination, apair of spaced apart side rails, flanges forming the side walls of eachside rail, the flanges on the opposed rails being disposed towards eachother, longitudinal ribs.

in each side rail between and projecting in the same direction as saidflanges, steps extending between and connected at their ends to siderails, aid flanges and ribs being cut out to receive portions of saidsteps and provide supportof sheet metal formedat one end to conform tothe cross section of the side rails to which it is secured, the otherend of each bracket being formed substantially U-shaped to provide ajournal for a pivot pin, legs pivoted at their upper end one in eachbracket, and a flanged top step telescopically mounted for ready removalon said side rails adapted to overlie and partially conceal saidbrackets.

8. A ladder constructed of sheet metal comprising in combination, a pairof side rails, saidside rails being channel-shaped in cross-section,spaced apart longitudinal ribs formed in each of said side rails, stepsmounted between and rigidly secured at their ends to said side rails, a

bracket extending laterally from adjacent theupper end of each rail,each bracket consisting of a strip of sheet metal formed at one end toconform to the cross section of the side rails to which it is secured,the other end of each bracket being folded over upon itself to providespaced apart walls adapted to be journalled to receive a pivot pin, legseach adapted to have its upper end extend between the walls of one ofsaid brackets and be pivoted therein, and a flanged top step, includingfragmentary rail portions adapted to telescope into the open upper endsof said side rails adapted to overlie and partially conceal saidbrackets.

9. A ladder constructed of sheet metal comprising, in combination, siderails, a series of steps extending between and joined at their ends tosaid side rails, means formed in said rails adapted to support saidsteps, a bracket extending rearwardly from adjacent the upper end ofeach side rail, legs, substantially U-shaped in cross section, pivotedat their upper end one in each bracket with their open sides disposedtowards each other, flanges on the side walls of each leg, said flangesbeing disposed angularly towards each other and cross braces connectingsaid legs, said cross braces having their ends fitted snugly between andjoined to said angular flanges.

10. A ladder constructed of sheet metal comprising, in combination,spaced apart side rails, a series of steps extending between andinterlockingly secured at their ends to said side rails, means formed insaid side rails adapted to support said steps, a bracket extendingrearwardly from adjacent the upper end of each side rail, legs pivotedat their upper end one in each bracket, said legs being formed of sheetmetal, flanges on the side walls of each leg, said flanges beingdisposed angularly towards each other, and cross-braces connecting saidlegs, said cross braces having their ends fitted snugly between andsecured by welding to said angular flanges.

11. A ladder constructed of sheet metal com,- prising, in combination,side rails, a series of steps extending between and joined at their endsto said side rails, a bracket extending rearwardly from each side railadjacent its upper end, legs pivoted at their upper end one in eachbracket, said legs being formed of sheet metal and being substantiallyU-shaped in cross-section, flanges on the side walls of each leg, saidflanges being disposed angularly towards each other and cross-bracesconnecting said legs, said cross-braces having their ends fitted snuglybetween and secured to said angular flanges.

JOSEPH KUTSCHEID.

